Car-seal.



Patented Sept. 24, MM. L. A. BROWN.

CAB SEAL.

(Application filed Nov. 12, 1900.

( No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS A. BROWN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO PERANITE SEALCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 683,245, datedSeptember 24, 1901. Application filed November 12, 1900. Serial No.36,235. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may COILOBITZ.

Be it known that I, LEWIS A. BROWN, of the city of St. Louis, State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOar-Seals, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart hereof.

This invention relates to seals; and it consists of the novelconstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter shown,described, and claimed.

The object of this invention is to provide a seal having certainimprovements over the seal shown and described by me in my formerpatent, No. 586,007, dated July 6, 1897.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved seal unlocked. Fig. 2is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 and shows the seal locked. Fig. 3 isan enlarged detail View showing the locking device which constitutes apart of my invention. Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views showing themanner in which the locking device is embedded within the body of theseal. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing one end of a wire or springwhich is embedded within the body.

In the construction of my improved seal I i provide a body 1 of brittlesubstance, cast in any suitable shape and having embedded therein oneend of a wire or spring 2. The embedded end of the said wire or springis preferably provided with an enlargement 3, whereby it will be morefirmly retained in position and cannot be removed without breaking ordestroying the seal. The opposite end of the wire or spring 2 isprovided with a wedge-shaped portion 4, on the lower end of which aretwo shoulders 5, there being one on each side of the said member 4. Atthe upper end of the member 4 is a rectangular shield 6, the purpose ofwhich will hereinafter appear.

Embedded within the body 1 is a metallic spring-casing 7, the upper endof which is a suitable distance below the top of the body 1 and isprovided on each side with a slot 8. A

spring consisting of the horizontal portion 9 and the upturned portions10 is embedded within the body 1 alongside the spring-casing 7 and hasits ends 11 bent within the slots 8 and turned downwardly within thespringcasing 7. The said ends 11 extend downwardly within thespring-casing 7 a suitable distance and bear against each other and whenin normal position are approximately the middle of the said springcasing7. An opening leads from the upper end of the body 1 into thespring-casing 7, the purpose of which is to permit the passage of thewedgeshaped member 4 and the shoulders 5 carried thereby. A depression12 is formed in the upper end of the body 1 around the opening leadinginto the spring-casing 7, and the said depression is of sufficient depthand size to receive the shield Bwhenever the member 4 is passed into thespring-casing, thereby preventing any access to the interior of theeasing to remove the springs from their engagement with the shoulders 5.In this manner a positive and efficient means is provided, whereby it isabsolutely impossible to unlock the seal without injury to any of theparts.

The seal is applied in the usual manner by inserting the wire 2 througha staple or other opening adapted to receive it and pressing thewedge-shaped member 4 into the springcasing 7, as shown in the differentviews of the drawings. The arrangement of the different parts is suchthat when the said memher 4 is applied, as described, and the shield 6rest-s within the depression 12 the shoulders 5 will be engaged belowthe ends of the spring within the casing, as shown in Fig. 3, therebypreventing the removal of the seal from the position in which it isplaced.

I claim-- 1. The combination in a seal, of a frangible body having anopening, a spring embedded in the body outside the opening and havingboth ends projecting thereinto and bearing close against eachother, anda wire shackle having one end rigid with the said body, and a shoulderformed on each side of its free end and adapted to abut directly againstthe ends 5 of the spring within the opening, substantially as specified.

2. In a seal, the combination of a brittle body, a spring-casing withinthe said body, a

spring embedded within the body outside the I00 spring-casing and havingboth of its ends projecting down into the casing and bearing againsteach other, a wire shackle having one end rigid with the body, and ashoulder formed on each side of its free end to be engaged directly byboth ends of the spring, substantially as specified.

3. A seal, consisting of a frangible body having an opening formedtherein, a springcasing within the body, a spring outside the casing andhaving both ends projecting down into the casing, one at each side, theportions of the spring in the casing being unbent, in combination with awire shackle having one end rigid with the said body, oppositelyformedshoulders integral with the other end

